Door lock



Dec. 12, 1967 J. v. PASTVA. JR 3,357,734

DOOR LOCK Filed June 21. 1965 67 2 INVENTOR JOHN V PASTVA,JR.

ATTORNEYIS United States Patent 3,357,734 D9012 LOCK John V. Pastva, Jr., Parma Heights, ()hio, assignor to The Eastern Company, Cleveland, Ohio, a corporation of Connecticut Filed June 21, 1965, Ser. No. 465,686 1 Claim. (Cl. 292165) This invention relates to latching devices including locks and more particularly to flush mounted lock, or latching device, intended for use with doors of utility trucks and other automotive vehicles.

The invention contemplates the provision of a new and improved flush mounted paddle-type door lock, or the like, adapted to be quickly and easily installed which is of a rugged and durable construction, and which compn'ses a relatively small number of parts adapted to be economically produced and assembled.

The invention also contemplates the provision of a new and improved unitary door lock of the character referred to having a paddle-type handle member swingable relative to a mounting member for retracting actuation of a spring biased bolt, and wherein the handle and bolt are operatively connected by a trigger member pivoted in the mounting member and operatively connected with the handle member by a lost motion means permitting movement of the trigger member with the bolt without movement of the handle upon retraction ofthe bolt by its engagement with the keeper as the door is closed.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description of the preferred embodiment of the invention described with reference to the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification and in which: 1

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary front elevational view of a door and the adjacent door frame of a utility truck having a lock embodying the invention installed therein;

FIG. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view with parts in elevation taken approximately on line 2-2 of FIGS. 1 and 3;

FIG. 3 is a transverse sectional view with parts in elevation taken approximately on the line 33 of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view taken approximately on line 44 of FIG. 2 and showing the removable spring seat of the bolt housing.

The latch or lock of the present invention can be used in different locations and for various purposes, but is especially suitable for use on doors of automotive vehicles and particularly on the doors of tool compartments or the like of utility trucks. The preferred embodiment of the invention herein shown, designated generally by the reference character A, is of the flush-mounted paddle type installed in an opening or recess in a door B which is used to close a tool compartment or the like of a utility vehicle. The door B is of built up or fabricated metal construction and swingably mounted and, in its close position, cooperates with adjacent vehicle structure such as the metal post or doorframe C. The lock or latch A comprises, in general, a recessed mounting or body member D, a bolt housing E carried by the body member D and supporting a slidable bolt F spring biased to a projected or latching position, and an actuating handle G pivoted in the body member D and operable through a trigger member H to retract the bolt against the action of the spring. A striker plate 11 mounted on the doorframe C is provided with an opening 12 into which the bolt F extends when the door B is in its closed position.

q The mounting or body member D comprises a substantially pan-shaped sheet metal part of a quadrangular plan shape, having a substantially flat bottom wall 14 and pairs of opposed side and end walls 15, 16 and 17, 13 defining Patented Dec. 12, 1967 a shallow pan-like recess 2d. The bottom wall 14 is provided with a narrow slot 21 adjacent to its right hand end as viewed in FIGS. 1 and 2 which slots extends lengthwise of the direction of reciprocation of the bolt F. The body member D also includes a laterally extending integral flange 22 which is substantially continuous around the perimeter of the recess 2% and extends in an out-turned relation thereto. The lock is positioned in the opening or recess 10 in the door B with the flange 22 overlying a portion of the door B adjacent thereto and is used as an attaching means for mounting the lock A on the door as by spot welding.

The bolt housing E shown is a sheet metal channelshape member comprising a bottom wall 23, a pair of opposed side walls 24 and 25 and flanges 26, 27 projecting outwardly from the side Walls. The bottom 23 and the walls 24 and 25 when secured to the body member D by means of the flanges 26 and '27, form in cooperation with the bottom wall 14 of the body member D a hollow 'guideway 30 of rectangular cross section for the bolt F.

The bolt F comprises a metal bar or the like of a substantially rectangular cross-sectional shape corresponding with that of the guideway 39 and is slidable in the latter. The bolt is provided with a substantially flat end face at the inner or rear end thereof and at its outer end is provided with a beveled or cam portion or surface 31 for cooperation with the striker plate 11. The bolt F is also provided with a substantially rectangular slot 32 approximately midway between its ends and extending from the front face, that is, its side adjacent to the body member D to its rear face. The slot 32 is provided with an upwardly beveled inclined surface 33 at the front end and the rear end of the slot serves as a transverse thrust surface 34.

The bolt F is biased to its projected or latching position,

that is, the position in which it is shown in the rawings by a compression spring located in the bolt housing E. The spring 4a is interposed between the rear or inner end of the bolt F and a spring seat 41 forming a removable rear end wall for the housing E. The spring seat 41 is held in the rear end of the guideway 30 as viewed in FIG. 2 by inturned lugs 42 and 43 on the side walls 24 and 25 at the rear end of the guideway.

As shown in the drawings, the handle G is made of sheet metal and comprises a generally rectangular substantially flat plate portion 45 formed to provide a cover for a portion of the recess 20 of the body member D. The handle includes a pair of inturned flanges and 51 along the sides of the flat portion 45 and which lie adjacent the longitudinal side walls 15 and 16 of the body member D. The handle G adjacent to its right hand end, as viewed in IGS. 1 and 2 of the drawings, is pivotally connected with the body member D by means of a hinge pin 52 which extends through the side flanges 50 and 51 of the handle member and has its ends mounted in the side walls 15 and 16 of the member D. Adjacent to the pivoted end thereof, the handle G is provided with an inturned flange 53 which engages shoulders 54 of the bolt actuating trigger member H. The opposite end of the handle F is provided with an outwardly turned flange 55 which provides a surface for the manual operation of the handle. The drawings show the handle G in its retracted or rest position with its outer surface substantially flush with the outer surface of the flange 22 of the body member D. In this position it closes a portion of the recess 20 in the body member D, as previously mentioned.

The bolt actuating trigger member H is rotatably supported on a hinge pin 52 and is preferably made of sheet metal. As shown, the trigger member comprises two identically shaped members 60, 61 fixedly secured together as by welding in end-to-end relation. Each of the members and 61 has flanges 66, 67 at their opposite ends extending in opposite directions. The flanges 66 at the nonadjacent ends of the members 60 and 61 extend in an upwardly direction and have apertures therein through which the hinge pin 52 projects. These flanges are located adjacent to and inwardly of the side flanges 50, 51 of the handle member G. The other flanges 67 of the members 60 and 61 are located adjacent to one another, are fixed together as by welding and form a blade-like projection or member which extends in a downwardly direction through the opening 21 in the bottom 14 of the body member D and projects into the slot 32 in the bolt. The abutments 54 on the trigger member H, previously referred to, and which are engaged by the flange 53 on the handle member G, are formed on the forwardly extending flanges 66 of the trigger member, as clearly shown in FIG. 2.

Each of the members 60 and 61 has an abutting flange 68, 69 running lengthwise of the member which functions as a stop, upon contacting the bottom wall 14. This limits outward movement of the bolt F under the action of the spring 40.

The length of the slot 32 in the bolt F is only slightly longer than the width of the trigger blade formed by the flanges 67 of the trigger members 60 and 61, as is clearly shown in FIG. 2.The trigger member rotates about the hinge pin 52 as the bolt F is reciprocated. The inclined surface 33 at the upper forward end of the slot 32, as viewed in FIG. 2, provides clearance for the trigger blade as the bolt moves to its retracted position. If the bolt is moved into the bolt housing other than by outward movement of the handle G, for example, as by its engagement with the striker plate 11 upon the door B being pushed shut, abutments 54 of the trigger member move away from the flange 53 of the handle member allowing the handle member to remain stationary with respect to the body member D. The construction provides a lost motion connection between the handle G and the trigger H.

The door lock A is also provided with a key operated locking means L which is effective between the body member D and the handle member G for retaining the latter in its inactive or rest position and thereby preventing retraction of the bolt by the handle. The locking means comprises a lock cylinder 70 of a conventional form mounted in an aperture in the handle G and retained therein by means of a lock nut 71. The lock cylinder 70 supports a key-actuatable and rotatable lock component or member 72 to the inner end of which a lock member 73 is connected by a screw 74. Opposite ends of the lock member 73 project from the rotatable member 72 and cooperate with locking lugs 75 and 76 provided on the body member D. The locking member 73 is rotatable with the member 72 to move the ends thereof into and out of cooperating engagement with the locking lugs 75 and 76. The end of the locking member 73 which rotates towards the trigger is formed with a slot 77 to provide clearance for the trigger when the locking member 73 is positioned so as not to engage the lugs 75 and 76, meaning, in the unlocked position.

The locking lugs are mounted on the bottom wall 14 of the body member D on opposite sides of the slot 21. When the locking member is rotated to the locked position the ends thereof engage underneath the locking lugs thus preventing movement of the handle G. The outer ends of the locking lugs also provide stop means engageable by the side flanges 50 and 51 of the handle G for limiting movement of the handle into the recess in the body member D.

In operation the fingers of a person wishing to open the latch are inserted in the open end portion of the recess 20 and the handle grasped by the flange 55 and the portion adjacent thereto. As pressure is applied in the act of pulling the handle forward the handle pivots about the hinge pin 52 and swings outwardly. As the handle is rotated the flange 53 thereof presses against the abutment surfaces 54 on the trigger member H causing the trigger member to rotate with the handle member about the pintle or hinge pin 52 and the blade portion thereof 67 to exert a rearward thrust upon the transverse thrust surface 34 of the bolt 4 which in turn causes the bolt to retract in opposition to the spring 40. The withdrawal of the bolt into the guideway 30 disengages the same from the opening 12 of the striker plate 11 to permit opening movement of the door B.

Upon release of the handle G the compressed spring 40 causes the bolt to return to its outward position which in turn applies pressure to the trigger H through the trust surface 34 and pressure to the handle G through the surface 53 causing the handle to swing inwardly of the recess 20 to its substantially flush position shown in the drawing. The handle G is thus held in a substantially flush position by the action of the spring 40 at all times except when the handle has been manually swung out of the recess 20 or the bolt has been retracted by force applied to its projecting end. If the lock is used in an installation where the handle G might swing by gravity out of the recess 20 upon the bolt being retracted as by hitting the striker plate a weak auxiliary spring connected between the body and handle members can be employed to retain the handle in the recess.

When the door B is returned to its closed or latched position the bolt upon hitting the striker plate 11 is forced momentarily inwardly and then returns to the latch position in the opening 12 of the striker plate. In the present invention as the bolt is retracted the trigger blade is engaged by the forward end of the slot 33, as viewed in FIG. 2, which causes the trigger to rotate. As the trigger is rotated the handle G remains stationary because of the lost motion connection previously referred to, thus allowing the door to return from an .open position to a latched position without causing movement of the handle G which remains in its normally flush position.

From the foregoing description of the preferred embodiment of the invention it will be apparent that the objects heretofore mentioned and others have been ac complished and that there has been provided an improved door lock or latch of the character described having a handle member pivotally connected in a recess in a mounting member adjacent to one end thereof, a bolt with a slot in it, and in which the handle and bolt members are operatively connected by a trigger member connected to the handle member by a lost motion means permitting movement of the trigger and bolt members upon retraction of the bolt other than by movement of the handle, as by engagement of the bolt with the keeper without movement of the handle, even though the portion of the trigger member extending into the slot has little or no play therein. The slot in the bolt being short is closed on the side adjacent to the mounting member even though the trigger is pivoted to the mounting member adjacent to the end of the recess therein closest to the side from which the bolt projects.

While the preferred embodiment of the invention has been described in detail it is merely illustrative of the invention and it is the intention to cover hereby all adaptations, modifications and uses which come within the practice of those skilled in the art to which the invention relates and the scope of the appended claim.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

In a flush-mounted paddle-type latch of the character described: a sheet metal mounting member provided with a generally rectangularly-shaped front recess surrounded by a planar flange section, said recess being formed in part by two spaced parallel side wall sections and a planar bottom wall with a slot therein located midway between and parallel with said side wall sections; a sheet metal bolt housing secured to the rear side of said bottom wall of said recess, said bolt housing being generally channel-shaped in cross section with flanges along the edges of the sides remote from the web; means securing said flanges to said bottom wall; a slide bolt slidably supported in said bolt housing and having an end portion thereof normally projecting from said bolt housing, said slide bolt having a slot therein aligned with said slot in said bottom wall of said mounting member; spring means in said bolt housing biasing said slide bolt to a projected position with respect to said bolt housing and said mounting member; a sheet metal paddletype handle member having a relatively planar front body portion normally flush with said flange section of said mounting member and conforming generally with the shape of said recess in said mounting member except for one side which is spaced from the adjacent side of said recess for the projection of the fingers of an operator to a position underneath said one side of said handle member, said body portion of said handle member having a rear flange along the side thereof opposite to said one side thereof normally extending about half way to the bottom wall of said recess in said mounting member and spaced parallel flanges located adjacent to and parallel with said side wall sections of said mounting member and normally extending approximately to said bottom wall of said mounting member; a pivot pin means extending underneath said planar front body portion of said handle member and spaced from said rear flange of said handle member towards said one side thereof and through said parallel side wall sections of said mounting member and said flanges of said handle member pivotally connecting said handle member to said mounting member; said flanges of said handle member limiting movement of said handle member into said recess of said mounting member to a position in Which said body portion of said handle is substantially flush with said flange section of said mounting member; a sheet metal trigger member made of tWo identical parts fixed together, said trigger member comprising a blade section projecting through said slot in said bottom wall in said mounting member and into said slot in said slide bolt and having a dimension in said slot in said slide bolt lengthwise of the 3 path of movement of said slide bolt in said bolt housing only slightly less than that of said slot in said slide bolt whereby said trigger member moves with said slide bolt and vice versa, said trigger member having spaced parallel flanges located in said recess in said mounting member and projecting towards but spaced from said body portion of said handle member and through which said pivot pin means extends and supports said trigger member for pivotal movement relative said handle member whereby said trigger member may be moved by movement of said slide bolt against the bias of said spring without movement of said handle member; said spaced parallel flanges of said trigger member being located adjacent to said spaced parallel flange sections of said handle member for limiting movement of said trigger member axially of said pivot pin means relative to said handle member and abutments on said spaced parallel flanges of siad trigger member between the axis of said pivot means and the side of said recess in said mounting member opposite to said adjacent side of said recess engageable by said rear flange on said handle member limiting pivotal movement of said handle member relative to said trigger member in the direction for retracting said bolt against the bias of said spring upon manual movement of said handle member relative said mounting member in the direction out of said recess.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 231,561 8/1880 Hall. 1,407,884 2/ 1922 Ohnstrand 292- 2,987,908 6/1961 Pelcin.

FOREIGN PATENTS 613,954 9/1926 France.

MARVIN A. CHAMPION, Primary Examiner.

EDWARD C. ALLEN, Examiner.

I. R. MOSES, Assistant Examiner. 

